One Huntsville resident has created a business resurrecting the art of creating musical instruments from spare parts, in this case cigar boxes. Cigar box guitars have a long and important history in music. They were originally created by blues players who didn’t have the money to buy a guitar. Cigar box guitars are typically three-stringed instruments tuned to open G. Because of the open tuning they are easy for beginners to play (you can make chords by pressing all three strings at once). However, they are versatile enough for master players to coax intricate riffs and leads out of them.
John Nickel is the proprietor of Nickel Cigar Box Guitars located in the Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment Complex, 2211 Seminole Drive Huntsville (http://www.lowemill.net). You can buy hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind guitars from John or attend a class where you learn to make your own. John played in a band for several years and then settled down, got married, and had kids. According to John that meant, “No more playing in clubs till 2am”. A few years ago he got his hands on a cigar box guitar and thought to himself, “I can make one of those” From there he started building them in his garage. He said he never intended to turn this into a business. But business was good and soon it was time to take his garage back and move his equipment and guitars to Lowe Mill.
“I’ve been playing guitar for 20 years and I know what a guitar is supposed to feel like. And that is what I want each of our cigar box guitars to play like.”
– John Nickel
Each of Nickel’s guitars is an original piece of art. He begins with a used cigar box and a piece of wood which will be become the neck and fretboard. Each guitar has a piezo pickup inside so it can be amplified. And every one prominently displays a buffalo nickel which has become the trademark of a NCBG guitar. From there many incorporate eclectic items such as wrenches and sink drains.
Nickel Cigar Box Guitars has begun a brand new program where people can sign up for clinics to build their own guitar in John’s shop under his supervision. The prices for these clinics start at $80 depending on the person’s woodworking skills. If you are thinking about doing this, I recommend you sign up now as it is doubtful the price will stay that low. Those signing up for the clinics will have to be mindful of the noise. John pointed out that Lowe Mill houses many local businesses. There is a yoga studio upstairs and artists next door. John wryly noted, “The last thing they want to hear when they are working on their masterpiece is a router and a Dremel running simultaneously”. Nickel Cigar Box Guitars has also been known to build a few basses. The basses are fretless two-string standup instruments that disassemble into two pieces. (Editor’s Note: You just may see me in one of those classes soon building one.) In addition to building cigar box guitars, NCBG also offers private lessons on how to play them. So, you could potentially build your own and then learn how to play it all at their shop in Lowe Mill. Regardless of whether you have played guitar for years or never picked one up, you might want to give cigar box guitars a try.
Nickel Cigar Box Contact Info:
• On facebook: http://www.facebook.com
• Email John Nickel at johncnickel@gmail.com or call 256-714-7124 after 6 pm.
• On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/
Also check out Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment:
• http://www.lowemill.net/
• On facebook: http://www.facebook.com
If you have a music related event, story, or band you would like Keith to cover, please email him at:
music@inhuntsville.com
**Update** I originally had this post by Keith Rose, it was actually written by our Rockstar Keith Southern
